03/25: Microsoft Signs API Exchange Agreements with Bebo, Facebook, Hi5, LinkedIn and Tagged
Posted by Patrick
From Joe Wilcox:
In an early morning blog post, John Richards, Microsoft's director of the Windows Live Platform, claimed "significant developments" that demonstrate the company's "commitment to data portability and giving users a choice of how to use and control their information." The real importance depends on one's definition of "significant."
Microsoft has reached API-exchange agreements with five social networks—Bebo, Facebook, Hi5, LinkedIn and Tagged. That's hugely significant. Only Bebo and Facebook data exchange will be available today. That's not significant enough. MySpace isn't among the services, which is significant for its absence. The data exchange is limited, for now, to contact names and e-mail addresses. The purpose: to make easier the process of inviting friends from one service to be likewise on another. That's really insignificant, because the biggest data portability benefit goes to social networks.
Microsoft has reached API-exchange agreements with five social networks—Bebo, Facebook, Hi5, LinkedIn and Tagged. That's hugely significant. Only Bebo and Facebook data exchange will be available today. That's not significant enough. MySpace isn't among the services, which is significant for its absence. The data exchange is limited, for now, to contact names and e-mail addresses. The purpose: to make easier the process of inviting friends from one service to be likewise on another. That's really insignificant, because the biggest data portability benefit goes to social networks.
